Recommended by Nick Malakhow

In this piece, McShane examines family patterns and baggage by looking at two flawed characters who need connection. Amber and David are both well-rendered and their ability to be friends, family, mentors, or just sympathetic shoulders to one another is all so very complicated by age, secrets, and struggles with decision-making, mental health, and substance abuse. I appreciated Amber's yearning for control of her life due to her past trauma that she has struggled to process.

An absolutely beautiful, wistful, melancholy examination of a relationship. Rivers makes amazing use of the theatricality of the triple casting in this piece, revealing the inner workings and context of Arthur and Todd's relationship, while never losing sight of the present day driving narrative of their reunion at 51. The backdrop of the AIDS epidemic (and its aftermath) and their intersectionally complex identities give nuance and specificity to the piece. The use of music and dance is inspiring as well. I'd love to see this performed live!

An absolutely gorgeous, wrenching piece that just beautifully combines the heightened ethos of Greek tragedy with lyrical poetry and dance and everyday naturalism. The way that Pearson echoes, plays with, and subverts tropes of ancient tragedy (scene structure, poetry, use of the chorus) is absolutely brilliant. Every single character is so distinct and well-rendered, and the relationship between Cly and Iphi is particularly complex, nuanced, and, ultimately, gutting. The oppressive atmosphere of the Reagan era war on drugs is seamlessly threaded through with poignantly chosen voiceovers and soundscapes. How I would love to see this live!

This is a harrowing examination of rape culture on college campuses and in the world at large as well as the toxic celebrity of athletics. Mohlman makes clear and blistering connections between masculinity, competition, the fear of failure, and the perpetuation of sexual violence. The theatricality of marching band and football is used as a brilliant framing device--it makes me yearn to see this play fully realized on its feet. The large ensemble cast is well rounded and expandable too, making this ideal for college programs. Read, produce, and discuss this piece!

I appreciated the evolving and tricky relationship between Chai and Shayra--Cathro captures the complexities of their mother-son connection really well. I also appreciated Chai's conversations with his white girlfriend about names, identity, and his challenging of her blind spots and assumptions. A quick and compact piece with a driving tempo and a concise and well-told story.

An unsettling and well-done examination of trauma and its multi-tentacled aftermath. Tuesday and Sky are self-destructive and sympathetically-drawn characters and, even as you see their relationships and grip on life implode, you root for their success and survival. The way the piece wanders back and forth through time is powerful and emphasizes the haunting and lasting impact of the Meadow on these characters' lives.

As someone who spent most of his summers throughout high school at artsy pre-college programs, this piece captures all the beautiful contradictions of those settings--intense, camplike friendships and romances in a quasi-academic setting; navigating and negotiating huge feelings for the first time; experimenting with self-destructive and liberating behaviors. I love how Drimmer both treats his teen characters with respect and like the full humans they are while also demonstrating just how much one's sense of self and the world changes as they grow into adulthood.

An unsettling and wrenching piece that explores sexual violence in a kind of fabulistic/mythical manner. So much is packed into this ten minute piece--a genre generally reserved for comedy and singular bits. This manages to be a potent self-contained story that tackles expansive, weighty content. Lots of room for directors, designers, and performers to interpret.

A powerful, moving, funny, theatrical piece that examines trauma and sexual abuse in a way that only theater can. The figure in the tub is a direct, potent, and inventive extended metaphor for Jane's processing of her trauma, and the way the piece winds back and forth through time and space builds tension and suspense. From a designer's, actor's, and director's perspective, there is so much to do here! Even as she weaves a wholly new contemporary story, Strayer also manages to unpack the legacy of what Shakespeare and history/interpretation have done to Ophelia as well.

An insightful and well-rendered piece that explores friendship and how constellations of relationships change as people come of age into adulthood. The sizeable ensemble is populated by self-sabotaging but sympathetic characters that would all be a treat to embody--this play is definitely an actor's dream. In addition to exploring friendship, Drimmer illuminates that eternal quest for self-actualization and the internal and external barriers to doing just that. The tempo manages to remain engaging and propulsive throughout while still avoiding artificial dramatics. The little seismic shifts within/between each character are truthful and poignant.